Something in the Mist
by Midnight-Shadow18450
Summary: Alex Rider is on a mission. But shortly after returning, his life takes another spiraling turn as he is sent on yet another mission. Read and Review.
1. Chapter 1

**sheluby94dreamer, l8rg8r123, itachi159159, ****beachbum454, Cheezels, 2TheMaX, Crystal Roads, Drayconette, nebulalightspeed, kcllxoxo, Knyghtshade, Jake Caldefore, XxXmaximuM-RideRXxX, blackladyg, ffhoupt, Wolfmonster, ****twilightfan456789****, ****yotakehisuo174, Tai Calibre, Macklyn, blue moon, Kitty Kash, ThJaFl, Zoeyua, trinity-jade-potter, Aelyra, LittleGirlCoch, MoonDrake, Em Phantom, ponygirl-loves-mcqueen, Wolf-girl-Artemis, Darra Greymist, Dragoness of the Silver Flames, Emmy-loo, catluver412, alexriderfreak (),ninjawoman, Calla Argenue, kitsuneneko88, lacie-13, x EMIILII x, ****maxi-blue,**** VOLTAIRE, Jade Taylor, Blue Rider, randomness, Agasga, blackkat09, yipa dee day, PunkiePenguin, flyingdutchman08, aiimee, PureAngelEnchantress, Iceprincess89023, sparkleglitz01, hurrybee, snipergirlx27, shadow lupus, DDwelling, Lord Zidane, baldy911, bookworm, katelynsue23, beccaleelee, doctorwhobeth4, tsodium, Eric J. Alderson, azurese4, Alvineju of Baron, claireroxx101, Alexandra Rider, Calla Argenue, 00MeLiSsA00, bookworm rider, cailiean44, reading-rider, Kt of the bugs, QuirkyOne, feathersofbronze, Knyghtshade.**

Ok guys, as a special treat, here is my new story! Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Northern Finland. Three miles from Uutuanjoki.

The walls of the warehouse did nothing to keep out the sharp Arctic wind. Alex Rider shivered. He was currently hidden behind several large wooden crates, listening to two men talking. Alex had been sent there to investigate possible drugs smuggling. So far, he had discovered that this might well have included smuggling in people to work for them.

Alex continued to listen to the two men talking. Slowly, he slid a small camera out of his pocket. After making sure the flash was off, he poked his head out above the crates. Both men were turned away from him. He pointed the camera at them, and pressed the button. In less than two seconds, a picture had been taken, and had been sent 2168 miles directly to MI6's headquarters in London.

He could see the men talking quickly, but couldn't make out any of their conversation. He shifted slightly, trying to get into a more comfortable position. He was currently crouching down, and was getting pins and needles in his feet.

Suddenly, one of them turned round. Alex ducked, but as he did so, he overbalanced and toppled over with a loud thud. He cursed himself. He heard one of the men shout.

Knowing he had been discovered, he sprung out from behind the wooden crates, quickly knocking one of the men out with a kick to the head. The other man lunged for him, but thankfully he missed.

Alex ran. He looked over his shoulder to see the second, larger man chasing after him, talking furiously into a walkie-talkie. He heard the man tell the person on the other end where he was heading.

Alex ran out of the warehouse into the freezing cold night air. At this point, an alarm had begun to sound. More guards appeared seemingly out of no-where. There was a click, and then a loud bag as a gun was fired. Alex ducked and felt the bullet whiz past him, barely missing his shoulder. He sped up, trying to lose the guards pursuing him.

Another guard appeared, and grabbed Alex around the waist. Alex struggled in his grasp, but he was too strong. He saw the guard bringing out his gun. Using the opportunity, Alex kicked backwards, hitting the man in the groin with his foot. The guard promptly let go, and dropped to the floor.

Alex took off again, running around corners. Left, right, and left again. His muscles were screaming from the cold. He ignored them, turning round another corner. He could hear the footsteps getting closer.

He ducked down behind some nearby containers. He was breathing hard, the cold making him shiver slightly. He poked his head out and saw the other guards run past.

The alarm stopped, and there was an eerie silence. He could hear himself breathing, and the fading sound of the guard's footsteps.

Slowly, taking a cautious look round to make sure no one was around, he crept out from behind the containers.

Then the floodlights switched on.

* * *

Bwahahaha! I do like my cliffies, don't I? :D

Just so you know I won't be able to update for at least a week as I am away this week..... but when I come back..... Reviews will make me happy!!!

First reviewer gets a cookie!!!


	2. Chapter 2

**sheluby94dreamer, l8rg8r123, itachi159159, ****beachbum454, Cheezels, 2TheMaX, Crystal Roads, Drayconette, nebulalightspeed, kcllxoxo, Knyghtshade, Jake Caldefore, XxXmaximuM-RideRXxX, blackladyg, ffhoupt, Wolfmonster, ****twilightfan456789****, ****yotakehisuo174, Tai Calibre, Macklyn, blue moon, Kitty Kash, ThJaFl, Zoeyua, trinity-jade-potter, Aelyra, LittleGirlCoch, MoonDrake, Em Phantom, ponygirl-loves-mcqueen, Wolf-girl-Artemis, Darra Greymist, Dragoness of the Silver Flames, Emmy-loo, catluver412, alexriderfreak (),ninjawoman, Calla Argenue, kitsuneneko88, lacie-13, x EMIILII x, ****maxi-blue,**** VOLTAIRE, Jade Taylor, Blue Rider, randomness, Agasga, blackkat09, yipa dee day, PunkiePenguin, flyingdutchman08, aiimee, PureAngelEnchantress, Iceprincess89023, sparkleglitz01, hurrybee, snipergirlx27, shadow lupus, DDwelling, Lord Zidane, baldy911, bookworm, katelynsue23, beccaleelee, doctorwhobeth4, tsodium, Eric J. Alderson, azurese4, Alvineju of Baron, claireroxx101, Alexandra Rider, Calla Argenue, 00MeLiSsA00, bookworm rider, cailiean44, reading-rider, Kt of the bugs, QuirkyOne, feathersofbronze, Knyghtshade, hey, Ponyboy65, Ambrele, Cubed, alex-rider-girl, darkmoon999, TheNotedMusician, Edwards Cantante4, LuluRox.**

hey wins the giant cookie for being the first reviewer! But since I'm feeling nice, everyone else gets a regular cookie!!!

Nooooo! Not the flaming pitchforks!!! –Ducks-

Disclaimer: I do not own Alex Rider, but I do own Dmitri Maslov.

* * *

Alex cursed, watching as armed guards formed a semicircle around him, their guns raised. There was a concrete wall behind him, but it was too big to climb. Looking around, Alex tried to find a gap in the formation of guards, but found none.

There were footsteps as a man stepped forward, a large rottweiler at his heels. Alex had never sent his man before. He had only studied a file on him. His name was Dmitri Maslov, a Russian that had immigrated to Finland in 1981.

"Ah, the famous Alex Rider. So glad we could meet at last," Maslov said, his voice slicing through the night air. He walked forward, the rottweiler growling savagely.

Alex backed into the wall behind him. He wondered how this man knew his name. Had he being spying on Alex?

Maslov stopped in front of Alex. Alex stared at him coldly, studying him. He was tall and muscular, with messy brown hair and dark brown eyes. There was a scar on his cheek.

"Your camera. Give it to me," Maslov demanded.

Alex did nothing. Maslov's eyes narrowed. He slapped Alex round the face.

"Give it to me. Now," he demanded again, his voice filled with menace.

Alex remained still. He wasn't going to give in to this man. His face was stinging where Maslov had hit him, but he'd had worse before. Only two months ago he had been kidnapped by SCORPIA, and had very nearly been killed.

Another sharp slap brought Alex out of his thoughts.

"I suggest you give it to me, before you have to suffer the consequences," Maslov stated, his voice dripping venom.

"F- -k you," Alex replied coldly. He saw Maslov glare before he found his arm being twisted behind his back. Alex struggled, but stopped as his arm was twisted further up his back at an awkward angle. Alex gasped, the pain making him grimace. If it was pulled any further, the shoulder would dislocate.

In a low and dangerous voice, Maslov spoke. "You will get the camera out slowly. You will drop it on the floor and pick it to the guard on your right. Should you fail to do so, I will give the orders to shoot. Understood?"

At the mention of being shot, the bullet wound above Alex's heart gave a painful twinge. Slowly, using his free hand, he slid his hand into his pocket, extracting the small camera.

But instead of dropping it, he pressed a small button on the side of it. There was a crackling noise as the camera emitted an extremely bright magnesium flare.

Maslov swore, reflexively letting go of Alex to shield his eyes from the bright light. The guards were yelling as the bright light half blinded them.

Dropping the camera, Alex ran towards the edge of the semicircle of guards. Taking advantage of the situation, Alex aimed a roundhouse kick at the nearest guard. It met its target and the guard crumpled to the floor. Alex dodged a hail of bullets from the other guards as he ran.

Looking round, he saw the light from the camera slowly diminishing, and knew it wouldn't be long until the guards and Maslov would come after him. Turning his attention to the path ahead, he continued to run.

But then he heard ferocious barking, and realised Maslov had sent the dog after him. He turned around again, and saw the dog pelting after him, its teeth bared. Alex knew it would catch him any second. He ran faster, desperately trying to throw the dog off his tracks. But just when he thought he had put enough distance between the dog and himself, he tripped.

Alex landed heavily on his chest, knocking the air out of his lungs. He twisted round onto his back in time to see the rottweiler bearing down on him, its jaws snapping, and eyes filled with fury. Alex tried to kick it off, but it kept coming. Alex was using his hands to push the dog away.

"Heel," a voice said calmly. The dog stayed where it was, growling at Alex. Alex looked up and saw Maslov towering over him, gun pointed at his head. There were also several guards, guns also trained on Alex.

"Get up," he ordered.

Slowly, Alex rose to his feet. He was breathing heavily, and there was a large graze on his arm from where he had fallen.

Quick as a flash, Maslov had grabbed Alex by the neck and was now holding him against another part of the wall. The cold concrete dug into Alex's back as he struggled, clawing at the hand around his neck.

"You know, I could easily kill you here and now," Maslov said, slowly tightening his grip on Alex's throat.

Alex couldn't breathe. He could feel Maslov's hand tightening its deadly grip, slowly strangling Alex. He could already see the darkness creeping around the edges of his vision. His chest was burning, and he could feel his strength slowly leaving him. He barely registered was Maslov had said.

"As it happen, I want some information. So, sadly, I cannot kill you just yet. But that time will come soon," he said, relinquishing his grasp on Alex's neck. He smiled as Alex gasped, taking in great lungfuls of air.

Alex was struggling to stay upright. He could hear Maslov chuckling, enjoying watching him suffer.

Maslov turned away from Alex. Then, with incredible speed, he spun round, punching Alex in the head.

Alex felt his head smash into the concrete wall. He could feel his legs buckling as he slid down the wall. Then, almost gratefully, he sank into unconsciousness.

Maslov watched as Alex's eyes closed and his head lolled to one side. Smiling, he turned to two of the guards.

"You two. Pick him up and take him to the main block. Make sure he is secure," he ordered.

The two guards nodded, picking up the unconscious Alex by the arms and dragging his limp form away.

* * *

Well, there's chapter two. Chapter three should be up in about a week, unless I get eaten alive by schoolwork…

Please Review! Reviews make me type faster!


	3. Chapter 3

**sheluby94dreamer, l8rg8r123, itachi159159, ****beachbum454, Cheezels, 2TheMaX, Crystal Roads, Drayconette, nebulalightspeed, kcllxoxo, Knyghtshade, Jake Caldefore, XxXmaximuM-RideRXxX, blackladyg, ffhoupt, Wolfmonster, ****twilightfan456789****, ****yotakehisuo174, Tai Calibre, Macklyn, blue moon, Kitty Kash, ThJaFl, Zoeyua, trinity-jade-potter, Aelyra, LittleGirlCoch, MoonDrake, Em Phantom, ponygirl-loves-mcqueen, Wolf-girl-Artemis, Darra Greymist, Dragoness of the Silver Flames, Emmy-loo, catluver412, alexriderfreak (),ninjawoman, Calla Argenue, kitsuneneko88, lacie-13, x EMIILII x, ****maxi-blue,**** VOLTAIRE, Jade Taylor, Blue Rider, randomness, Agasga, blackkat09, yipa dee day, PunkiePenguin, flyingdutchman08, aiimee, PureAngelEnchantress, Iceprincess89023, sparkleglitz01, hurrybee, snipergirlx27, shadow lupus, DDwelling, Lord Zidane, baldy911, bookworm, katelynsue23, beccaleelee, doctorwhobeth4, tsodium, Eric J. Alderson, azurese4, Alvineju of Baron, claireroxx101, Alexandra Rider, Calla Argenue, 00MeLiSsA00, bookworm rider, cailiean44, reading-rider, Kt of the bugs, QuirkyOne, feathersofbronze, Knyghtshade, hey, Ponyboy65, Ambrele, Cubed, alex-rider-girl, darkmoon999, TheNotedMusician, Edwards Cantante4, LuluRox, animeMUSICaddict, Eric J. Alderson, Aisling-Siobhan, Amika-Kyou, Saela, darkmoon999, pandagirl555, SakuraCa, Angel, NarutoFrk13, xx-Wild Child.571-xx, goldenlilies, verbalalchemist.**

Ok, first of all I am **SO SO SO** sorry for not updating sooner. –Gives Cookies to everyone- I have had a stack of schoolwork and coursework. I have also been having problems at home, so have been really preoccupied. I do hope you can forgive me. Sorry if this chapter's a bit short. My writing bunnies decided to run off. I caught them with a giant net though :).

Oh yeah, Alex is fifteen in this fic :)

Disclaimer: Yeah, of course I own Alex Rider. Just like the fact that I'm the Easter Bunny and pigs have taken over Mars.

* * *

Alex's head hurt. He could feel the spot where is head had connected with the wall. Groaning, he opened his eyes. Slowly, fuzzy at first, his sight returned. He was in a fairly large room, white in colour.

'_What is it about villains painting their walls white?'_ Alex thought to himself before scanning the room once more. There was a small window to his right. It was dark outside, so he couldn't have been out long. There was a door directly in front of him, presumably locked. They hardly ever left them open these days, or at least, not for good reason.

Alex shifted slightly. He noticed that he was sitting on a wooden chair, and that his arms were tied tightly behind his back. His hands were numb, and the rope was cutting into Alex's skin, aggravating the large graze he had sustained earlier. He was also very cold. He shivered, his thermals not really helping much.

There was a scrape of a key in the lock of the door. Maslov walked in, two guards at his side. One of them stood behind Alex, the other to Maslov's side. Maslov stepped in front of Alex. Alex lashed out with his foot, kicking him in the shin. Alex smirked as Maslov swore.

However, the smirk was quickly wiped from his face as the guard behind him grabbed his hair and pulled backwards. Alex gasped as his head snapped backwards and a few hairs parted from his scalp. He began to struggle slightly. He could feel the ropes cutting further into his skin. The guard tightened his grip, pulling Alex's head back further. He stopped struggling. He was almost looking up at the ceiling, and could feel blood slowly trickling down his wrists.

Maslov drew his fist back. Alex flinched, waiting for the inevitable. There was a long pause. The only sounds that could be heard were the light wind outside and Alex's shaky breathing.

Maslov dropped his hand and nodded at the guard. The guard let go of Alex's hair, causing him to relax slightly. Alex let out a small sigh of relief, barely audible, before he felt Maslov's fist slam into his jaw. He cried out, unable to help himself. He felt dizzy as he glared at Maslov, who was laughing coldly. Alex felt blood falling down his chin. The punch had split Alex's lip.

"You should know better than that Alex," Maslov said, looking down at Alex.

Alex continued to glare at Maslov. "How do you know my name?" Alex demanded, his head still pounding.

"I have…contacts who know you," Maslov replied, pausing slightly. He turned his back to Alex. "It seems that you have quite a reputation, Mr Rider. Seven times you have put an end to various plots and plans. Seven times, and all in less than a year… and taking down SCROPIA that's quite a feat for a fifteen year old. And surviving a bullet wound like that. Fascinating…"

Alex shuddered. How did this man know so much about him?

"Now then, after discovering your presence here, and very nice camera by the way, very high tech, shame it had to be destroyed, I require some… information," Maslov turned round again, smiling when he was a large purple bruise forming on Alex's jaw. "First of all, what are you doing here?"

Alex replied with a stony silence. He wasn't going to answer any of this man's questions.

Maslov frowned. "Ok, let's try that again. What are you doing here?" he said, slapping Alex's already bruised face. He was answered with silence and a glare. He stepped forward, making sure he was out of range of Alex's feet.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Maslov yelled, each word filled with hatred.

"Recommending Anger Management classes to people. I think you could benefit from them," Alex replied icily.

"Don't give me any of that cheek Mr Rider. Just answer the question I set," Maslov growled, voice laced with menace.

Alex looked up at Maslov, before spitting on Maslov's face. Maslov's eyes narrowed, and his face was now livid.

"Very well…" Maslov paused. He looked at both guards. "You know where to take uncooperative prisoners," he said, turning away from Alex once more.

The two guards stepped forward. The one behind Alex untied him. They then grabbed Alex by the arms and began to drag him towards the door. Alex began to struggle again, only to receive a blow to the head. He cried out, the blow momentarily dizzying him.

He felt the guards dragging him outside, the cold air whipping past his face. He kicked backwards, catching one guard in the knee. The guard swore, losing his grip on Alex's arm. Alex proceeded to elbow the other guard in the stomach, causing him to fall to the floor.

Alex bolted, breathing hard as he heard Maslov swear and heavy footfalls pursuing him. There was a gunshot, and Alex sped up. A strange feeling of Déjà vu came over him, reminding him of the earlier events. He looked round, and saw that Maslov was closing in, a look of pure hatred written on his face.

He ducked round a corner, only to be greeted by a chain link fence. Knowing Maslov was only seconds behind, he began to climb up the fence. He was almost at the top when he felt a hand close around his ankle, almost causing him to fall. He felt Maslov tug hard, and with a sense of dread felt himself lose his footing. He was now clinging onto the fence by his hands.

Maslov drew his gun once more and placed in on Alex's spine. "Let go now, or you get a bullet in your back," he snarled, voice laced with malice.

Taking a chance, Alex kicked out with his feet. One foot connected with the gun, getting it away from his spine. His other foot hit Maslov's nose. Maslov howled in rage, reflexively letting go of Alex's ankle.

Alex hurriedly pulled himself over the fence, wincing as he landed on the other side with a thump. He pelted off into the woods, but not before Maslov had drawn his gun once more. He yelled as the bullet whizzed past, grazing his arm.

Alex ran faster, desperately finding somewhere safe. His arm felt like it was on fire, but he sprinted forwards through the trees, battling against the cold wind. He could barely hear the enraged shouts behind him, growing quieter with every step he ran.

* * *

There you go guys. Am I forgiven? I'll try and update as soon as possible, but I dunno when it will happen. It may be a week, maybe more, depending on: A) if I have time in-between homework and exam revision. B) If my writing bunnies feel happy and give me inspiration and stuff.

Please Review! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**sheluby94dreamer, l8rg8r123, itachi159159, ****beachbum454, Cheezels, 2TheMaX, Crystal Roads, Drayconette, nebulalightspeed, kcllxoxo, Knyghtshade, Jake Caldefore, XxXmaximuM-RideRXxX, blackladyg, ffhoupt, Wolfmonster, ****twilightfan456789****, ****yotakehisuo174, Tai Calibre, Macklyn, blue moon, Kitty Kash, ThJaFl, Zoeyua, trinity-jade-potter, Aelyra, LittleGirlCoch, MoonDrake, Em Phantom, ponygirl-loves-mcqueen, Wolf-girl-Artemis, Darra Greymist, Dragoness of the Silver Flames, Emmy-loo, catluver412, alexriderfreak (),ninjawoman, Calla Argenue, kitsuneneko88, lacie-13, x EMIILII x, ****maxi-blue,**** VOLTAIRE, Jade Taylor, Blue Rider, randomness, Agasga, blackkat09, yipa dee day, PunkiePenguin, flyingdutchman08, aiimee, PureAngelEnchantress, Iceprincess89023, sparkleglitz01, hurrybee, snipergirlx27, shadow lupus, DDwelling, Lord Zidane, baldy911, bookworm, katelynsue23, beccaleelee, doctorwhobeth4, tsodium, Eric J. Alderson, azurese4, Alvineju of Baron, claireroxx101, Alexandra Rider, Calla Argenue, 00MeLiSsA00, bookworm rider, cailiean44, reading-rider, Kt of the bugs, QuirkyOne, feathersofbronze, Knyghtshade, hey, Ponyboy65, Ambrele, Cubed, alex-rider-girl, darkmoon999, TheNotedMusician, Edwards Cantante4, LuluRox, animeMUSICaddict, Eric J. Alderson, Aisling-Siobhan, Amika-Kyou, Saela, darkmoon999, pandagirl555, SakuraCa, Angel, NarutoFrk13, xx-Wild Child.571-xx, goldenlilies, verbalalchemist, reading-rider, Maudey, Itssostrangehere, darkmoon666, Alo Amicus, Johnny-on-the-spot, ****95girl, ****HawkEye DownUnder.**

Ok guys! I finally got inspiration for this chapter! Yayness! Some review replies:

Ponyboy65-You shall see…

bookworm rider-Thanks :) I'm on holidays too. -Gives healthy cookies-

By the way, I've written a oneshot for anyone who's interested :)

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alex Rider, but I do own Doug and Mack.**

* * *

Eventually, after what seemed like hours, Alex found a suitable place to stop. He was chilled to the bone, and the Arctic wind wasn't helping.

He had come to rest in a small clearing in the forest. He sat there, resting his back against a tree. The bark was rough, but he didn't particularly care.

Alex knew he had to contact MI6 and tell them what had happened. But without a phone he was stuck. He had no idea where he was, or where the nearest town was. He was cold, tired, and his arm was throbbing. His feet were aching.

Suddenly, with a spark of hope, he pulled off his left shoe. Peeling back the sole, he found what he was looking for. A small pager with an inbuilt tracking device was concealed within the shoe. It reminded him of the similar tracking device that was hidden in his shoe during his Snakehead mission.

He pressed the 'On' button, and saw to his great relief that it was indeed working. Quickly, he typed a message. His fingers were growing colder. Sending the message, he pocketed the device, and crawled to some nearby bushes. He decided that it would be better to conceal himself should Maslov's men come looking. Sitting back, he eventually slipped into a doze.

* * *

Sometime later, a crack woke him. Blearily, he looked around, and saw that he was no longer alone. There were men in uniforms looking around the clearing. Alex couldn't be sure if they had been sent by MI6, or if he had indeed been found by Maslov's men.

"Where is he? He should be here!" one of them barked.

"I don't know. Mrs Jones said he should be here. And this is where the signal led us," said another, looking round, a puzzled look on his face.

That was all Alex needed to hear. MI6 had sent them, so it was perfectly safe. Slowly, he stood up, raising one hand, his other arm now too sore to do much.

The men spun around, and smiled.

"Agent Rider, I assume?" one of them said, looking at Alex. He was fairly tall, and had jet-black hair. He noticed Alex's injured arm. "Come on kid, the Jeep's just around the corner."

Nodding, Alex followed the men out the clearing. A couple of minutes later they had reached the Jeep. But before Alex could climb in, the man with black hair stopped him.

"Let me look at that arm of yours," he ordered.

Alex looked at the man for a moment, before carefully shrugging his thinsulate jacket off. He winced as he material brushed against the graze on his lower arm, then the bullet wound on his upper arm. As he threw it into the Jeep with his good arm, he heard the man swear as he looked at the wounds. Looking up, the man turned to one of the others.

"Mack, get me the Med. Kit would you?" he said, turning back to Alex. There was a quick 'yes sir' from Mack as he went to get the Med. Kit.

A few minutes later, the Mack was back, holding the kit.

"Cheers Mack," the man muttered, opening the box.

"Anytime Doug," Mack replied before opening the door of the jeep and climbing in.

Dough took some anti-sceptic wipes out of the box. "Sorry kid, but this might sting a little," he said, unwrapping the wipe. He began to clean the graze, causing Alex to yelp. It did sting, but it did help.

Doug took another wipe from the box, slowly, he began to clean the bullet wound

Alex yelled. This one didn't sting, so much as hurt. He winced as Dough put a sterile pad on it and bandaged it up.

After a few minutes, Alex climbed into the Jeep. Mack was in the driver's seat, and another man was in the other front seat. Doug climbed in next to Alex. He noticed Alex's discomfort, and opened up the Med. Kit again.

"Here kid, this should help," he said, pulling out a bottle and a syringe.

Alex eyed it suspiciously. Doug noticed this, and smiled. "Relax, it's just a painkiller."

Alex turned his head as he felt a small prick in his uninjured arm. At once, Alex began to feel light headed. He looked up at Doug.

"Yeah, I should have mentioned it will knock you out for a few hours, sorry," he grinned sheepishly.

"How long exactly is that gonna be?" Alex muttered, feeling increasingly dizzy.

"Um…six to eight hours…"

'_Great,'_ Alex though as he looked out the window. He saw the trees whizzing by before they dissolved into nothing.

* * *

An hour later, the Jeep arrived at a private airport. Mack, Doug and the other man got out. Doug walked over to the other side of the Jeep and picked up Alex, who was still fast asleep.

Mack and the other man got in the plane first. As Doug began climbing the stairs, he felt a shiver down his spine. It felt like they were being watched. Turning his head, he looked around. He couldn't see anything except the surrounding hills and trees.

'_Probably nothing,' _he thought, boarding the plane. Within minutes, it was in the sky, heading towards London.

* * *

But little did they know, they _were_ being watched.

The figure watched the plane take off. He knew it's destination and it's passengers. He put down his binoculars, and got out a phone. He dialled a number and waited. In seconds there was an answer. The man smiled and spoke into the phone.

"They're on their way."

* * *

Several hours later, the plane touched down in London. It had been roughly five hours since Doug had given Alex the drug, and he was still out for the count. Doug suspected it would last another couple of hours.

After passing through private security, they had been given a private car and were on their way to Chelsea.

* * *

As they left, a figure on top of a nearby building lifted a walkie-talkie.

"They have arrived. Move on to stage three."

* * *

Half an hour passed in silence before they arrived in Cheyne Walk. They pulled into the driveway. As Mack rang the doorbell, Dough lifted Alex out of the car. As he stepped onto the doorstep, the door opened.

Jack, Alex's housekeeper and guardian, stood there. Her eyes fell on the prone form of Alex.

"Oh my-" she began, but Mack raised his hand.

"It's alright. He's just asleep," he said as he and Doug walked in. Jack closed the door and led them up the stairs to Alex's room. When they got there, Doug carefully pulled back the covers and lay Alex on the bed. After carefully removing his shoes, he put the covers over Alex.

He turned to Jack, who had been hovering by the doorway, worry written on her face. Doug smiled. "Don't worry, it should wear off in an hour or so. In the meantime I should stay here, just to make sure he's ok once it wears off. Hope you don't mind," Doug said walking out the room. He left the door ajar.

"Is he ok?" Jack asked, following Doug down the stairs.

"Yeah. A Nasty graze on his arm, plus another injury to the same arm, but he should be ok," he replied.

Jack took one last look up the stairs before walking into the living room.

* * *

There you go, another chapter done. I know it was random to knock Alex out for that long, but don't blame me, blame my sugar fuelled plot bunnies! Plus with this chapter I had horrible writers block :(

Good news! I am planning the next chapter. I've done 131 words so far… pretty good considering I have revision and stuff to do.

Dunno when the next update will be. I'm not very well at the moment :( But If I don't update before Sunday, Happy Easter! -Gives out Chocolate bunnies for people to eat whenever they like-


	5. Chapter 5

**sheluby94dreamer, l8rg8r123, itachi159159, ****beachbum454, Cheezels, 2TheMaX, Crystal Roads, Drayconette, nebulalightspeed, kcllxoxo, Knyghtshade, Jake Caldefore, XxXmaximuM-RideRXxX, blackladyg, ffhoupt, Wolfmonster, ****twilightfan456789****, ****yotakehisuo174, Tai Calibre, Macklyn, blue moon, Kitty Kash, ThJaFl, Zoeyua, trinity-jade-potter, Aelyra, LittleGirlCoch, MoonDrake, Em Phantom, ponygirl-loves-mcqueen, Wolf-girl-Artemis, Darra Greymist, Dragoness of the Silver Flames, Emmy-loo, catluver412, alexriderfreak (),ninjawoman, Calla Argenue, kitsuneneko88, lacie-13, x EMIILII x, ****maxi-blue,**** VOLTAIRE, Jade Taylor, Blue Rider, randomness, Agasga, blackkat09, yipa dee day, PunkiePenguin, flyingdutchman08, aiimee, PureAngelEnchantress, Iceprincess89023, sparkleglitz01, hurrybee, snipergirlx27, shadow lupus, DDwelling, Lord Zidane, baldy911, bookworm, katelynsue23, beccaleelee, doctorwhobeth4, tsodium, Eric J. Alderson, azurese4, Alvineju of Baron, claireroxx101, Alexandra Rider, Calla Argenue, 00MeLiSsA00, bookworm rider, cailiean44, reading-rider, Kt of the bugs, QuirkyOne, feathersofbronze, Knyghtshade, hey, Ponyboy65, Ambrele, Cubed, alex-rider-girl, darkmoon999, TheNotedMusician, Edwards Cantante4, LuluRox, animeMUSICaddict, Eric J. Alderson, Aisling-Siobhan, Amika-Kyou, Saela, darkmoon999, pandagirl555, SakuraCa, Angel, NarutoFrk13, xx-Wild Child.571-xx, goldenlilies, verbalalchemist, reading-rider, Maudey, Itssostrangehere, darkmoon666, Alo Amicus, Johnny-on-the-spot, ****95girl, ****HawkEye DownUnder, MadzCheesyfied, talking-and-walking-thesaurous, Abe Rider Short, Sable Katze, jodz92, SnowsongIsAJaypawFan, .**

I hope you all had a good Easter. I didn't… I was ill for the whole holiday :(

Ok, here is the next chapter. I had fun writing this chapter. Although, to be honest I have had this chapter written for a while, but unfortunately I have 1) Been busy. 2) Not been very well. I have had a horrible stomach bug (Hence why I was ill for the whole holiday). :( Please don't kill me.

**Disclaimer: I don't own him, despite how much I'd like to. But I DO own Doug.**

* * *

Alex felt warm. He was in a bed that was too soft to be a hospital bed. Groaning, he opened his eyes. He saw that he was in his own room. He looked out the window. Outside, it was raining. Frowning, he turned his attention to the clock. It was 3:30 in the afternoon.

There was a knock at the door as Doug poked his head in. When he saw Alex was awake, he smiled.

"Hey kid, how you feeling?" he asked, making his way over.

"Tired," Alex mumbled. He still felt drowsy and his head was pounding slightly.

"How's the arm?" Doug said, sitting on the bed.

"Which one, the one that got shot at or the one you stuck a needle into?" Alex replied sarcastically.

"The first one."

"'S alright," Alex murmured. There was a pause and the rain could be heard trickling through the gutters.

"I suppose I should leave you, so you can catch up with Jack. She's been worried about you," Doug said, getting up.

"Isn't she always?" Alex replied, sitting up.

"Well, I wouldn't know. But judging by the look on her face when we got you home, I'd say-" Doug spotted the disapproving look on Alex's face. "Never mind. I'll just let her know you've woken up…" Doug muttered awkwardly, and dashed out the room.

Alex was left alone in silence. Suddenly, a movement came into Alex's peripheral vision. His head turned towards the window. There was a flash of lightning, and a loud roll of thunder. Alex threw back the covers and walked to the window. Looking around, he couldn't see anything except the nearby trees, and the road below. _'Probably just a bird,'_ he thought. He turned around as Doug entered.

"I'm off now. I, er, hope you feel better," Doug said, holding out a hand.

"Thanks. I'll see you," Alex replied, shaking Doug's hand.

Smiling, he left the room. Alex heard the door click a minute later. He looked out the window one more time, before going downstairs.

* * *

Outside, the rain continued to pour down. Someone was perched on a large tree branch. They were gazing through a pair of binoculars into a room that was occupied by a fifteen-year-old boy.

The figure watched as the boy made his way over to the window. For a moment, he thought that he had been spotted. But he smiled as the boy turned away from the window. He watched as he shook a taller man's hand. A moment later, the same man left the house, accompanied by another man. They both climbed into a waiting car.

The figure noted down the type of car, and it's number plate. He spoke quickly and quietly into a walkie-talkie. Someone would deal with them later. Sitting back, he continued to watch the house.

* * *

3 days later, Alex found himself in room 1605 of the Royal and General Bank.

"Welcome back Alex. You did a very good job in Finland," Mrs Jones said, unwrapping a peppermint. "We have received news that Maslov and his group have been detained," she continued, popping the mint into her mouth.

"However Alex, I'm afraid that we need you again," Mr Blunt said, looking at Alex through his glasses.

"No way, I've missed too much school," Alex said quickly. If he missed anymore school, he would probably fail his GCSE's.

"That's the thing. We want you to attend a school in Wales. It is a lovely boarding school, surrounded by beautiful hills and countryside," Mrs Jones said, turning to Alex.

"Sounds nice. What's the catch?" he said, shifting in his chair.

"Recently, the head of Year 10 announced that they were leaving. They haven't given a reason why, but we know someone may be blackmailing the teacher. We don't know who, which is why we want to send you in. It will be a simple operation," Mrs Jones explained, finishing her first peppermint.

"That's what you said about Point Blanc, and I was nearly dissected alive!" Alex almost yelled.

"We wouldn't normally ask you, but-"

"I'm the only one you can use," Alex concluded. He'd been told the same before.

There was a moment of silence.

"Alright. I'll do it," Alex said tiredly.

"Excellent. We'll send someone to collect you on Sunday. But before that I believe Smithers wanted a word," Blunt said.

Alex was about to say something, but Blunt had already turned to a pile of papers on his desk.

* * *

Alex stepped out the lift and into Smithers' office. Smithers was sat at his desk, holding some sort of device in his hands. When Alex entered, he looked up.

"Ah, Alex! Good to see you! Did my last bundle of gadgets come in handy?" he exclaimed, gesturing to a seat opposite him.

"Yeah, they did," Alex replied, taking a seat.

Smithers opened a drawer and took out a small pen. "Now this is quite simple. This pen has a tranquiliser dart concealed within the end. Just push this button here-" he pointed to a small button on he side of the pen "-and it will shoot the dart out of the top," he gave the pen to Alex.

Next, he got out an inhaler similar to the one he had used during his Ark Angel mission. "The canister contains CS gas, useful should anyone try and attack you," Smithers said, putting it in front of Alex.

Smithers then brought out a pair of glasses. "I hope these are ok for you. There's a small camera in the bridge of them, and a highly sensitive microphone and speaker, so you can talk to us, and we can reply. Just press this small button whenever you need to use them," he handed the glasses over. They fit him perfectly, and Alex was amazed to find that he could actually see even better with them on. He took them off and put them in the case Smithers had placed in front of him.

"Good luck Alex, and do be careful," Smithers said, shaking Alex's hand cheerily.

"Thanks Smithers," Alex replied, pocketing his new gadgets. He strolled back into the lift.

A few minutes later, Alex was outside. The passing breeze was cool and refreshing. Smiling to himself, he trudged home, blissfully unaware of the figures watching him.

* * *

There you go. Please Review! And, good news! I have already done 382 words of the next chapter! And I have ideas for the next few chapters :). Bad news is, I dunno when I'll be able to update next. I have a GCSE German Oral soon and I am freaking out about it. I'll try and get it done, but I am going to be REALLY busy for a while.


	6. Chapter 6

**sheluby94dreamer, l8rg8r123, itachi159159, ****beachbum454, Cheezels, 2TheMaX, Crystal Roads, Drayconette, nebulalightspeed, kcllxoxo, Knyghtshade, Jake Caldefore, XxXmaximuM-RideRXxX, blackladyg, ffhoupt, Wolfmonster, ****twilightfan456789****, ****yotakehisuo174, Tai Calibre, Macklyn, blue moon, Kitty Kash, ThJaFl, Zoeyua, trinity-jade-potter, Aelyra, LittleGirlCoch, MoonDrake, Em Phantom, ponygirl-loves-mcqueen, Wolf-girl-Artemis, Darra Greymist, Dragoness of the Silver Flames, Emmy-loo, catluver412, alexriderfreak (),ninjawoman, Calla Argenue, kitsuneneko88, lacie-13, x EMIILII x, ****maxi-blue,**** VOLTAIRE, Jade Taylor, Blue Rider, randomness, Agasga, blackkat09, yipa dee day, PunkiePenguin, flyingdutchman08, aiimee, PureAngelEnchantress, Iceprincess89023, sparkleglitz01, hurrybee, snipergirlx27, shadow lupus, DDwelling, Lord Zidane, baldy911, bookworm, katelynsue23, beccaleelee, doctorwhobeth4, tsodium, Eric J. Alderson, azurese4, Alvineju of Baron, claireroxx101, Alexandra Rider, Calla Argenue, 00MeLiSsA00, bookworm rider, cailiean44, reading-rider, Kt of the bugs, QuirkyOne, feathersofbronze, Knyghtshade, hey, Ponyboy65, Ambrele, Cubed, alex-rider-girl, darkmoon999, TheNotedMusician, Edwards Cantante4, LuluRox, animeMUSICaddict, Eric J. Alderson, Aisling-Siobhan, Amika-Kyou, Saela, darkmoon999, pandagirl555, SakuraCa, Angel, NarutoFrk13, xx-Wild Child.571-xx, goldenlilies, verbalalchemist, reading-rider, Maudey, Itssostrangehere, darkmoon666, Alo Amicus, Johnny-on-the-spot, ****95girl, ****HawkEye DownUnder, MadzCheesyfied, talking-and-walking-thesaurous, Abe Rider Short, Sable Katze, jodz92, SnowsongIsAJaypawFan, hrtbreaker. AnimeMUSICaddict, RaevynMoon, Cracker.895, neko262012.**

I'm so sorry I haven't updated in ages. I have been busy revising for my exams that are coming up. I've also got a bad shoulder so progress with typing has been incredibly slow (I can only type a certain amount before it hurts too much to carry on:'( ). Anyway, hope you like this chapter, even if it's a bit shorter than the others (On account of the bad shoulder).

**Disclaimer: Knock Knock. **

**Who's there? **

**A girl who doesn't own Alex Rider. End of.**

* * *

That Sunday, Alex was ready to go. Jack had not been impressed when Alex had returned and told her the news. But it was a bit late for that.

At around One PM, a black Vauxhall Insignia pulled into the driveway. A tall, slim, clean-shaven man got out, and approached the house.

Alex was upstairs packing the rest of his things. He had made sure to keep his newly acquired gadgets in his backpack. He vaguely heard the doorbell ring as he closed his case. He turned around to see Jack leaning on the doorframe.

"Your lift's here," she said quietly. There was no hiding the sadness in her voice.

"Thanks," Alex replied, swinging his bag over his shoulder. He picked up his suitcase and his coat. With Jack's help, he carried them down the stairs and to the waiting car. After placing them in the back, he turned to Jack.

"I'm sorry," he said as Jack hugged him.

"Just promise me you'll be careful," she replied, letting go of Alex as he got into the car. He gave her one last smile before the driver closed the door.

As soon as the driver was in the car, he turned to Alex. "There's a file there for you. Memorise it. We'll be there in about 3-5 hours, more if traffic's bad," he said, before starting the car and pulling out of the driveway.

Alex opened up the file. Inside were several documents. He picked up the first sheet and read through it.

Name: Alex Barclay

Age: 15

D.O.B: 27th February 1994

Address: Catford, London.

Reasons for being sent to Milton's High School: Mother and Father wish for you to have a good education out of London. Heard the school had a good reputation.

'Parents' jobs- Mother: Laura- Actress. Father: Martyn- IT consultant at WH Smiths.

Pets at home: Ginger cat called Sparky, Dalmatian called Diego.

You will be receiving 'Therapy' after witnessing a man commit suicide. (See separate file).

Alex read through the rest of the sheet. He then picked up the second document, this one containing details of his 'Therapy' sessions. These sessions would actually consist of meetings with an MI6 operative so that information could be passed on. They really had though of everything.

* * *

Several hours later, they found themselves stuck in a long traffic jam on the motorway. There had been a three-car pile up, and the road would be blocked for several hours.

Alex had finished memorising the files, and was now staring out the window at the cars in the opposite lane, flashing past without a care in the world. Closing his eyes, he rested his head on the headrest, and allowed sleep to take him.

A few hours later, he opened his eyes again. It was now getting dark, and hills were silhouetted against the evening sky. He looked at the time on the car clock. 18:37.

"How long until we get there?" Alex asked, shifting in his seat.

"Not sure. We're already around two hours late because of that bloody traffic jam. About half an hour I guess," the driver replied, keeping his eyes on the road.

Alex closed his eyes again. His mind was swimming with various thoughts. How could he have been thrown into a mission so soon after his last one? And why couldn't he have a normal life? He had had more happen to him in the past year than most other teenagers would have had.

Alex opened his eyes, and saw that a fine covering of most had settled. He then began to think about Maslov. How had he known who he was, and who was this 'contact'? Alex was desperate to find out.

Twenty minutes later Alex looked out the window again. He could see that they were driving down a long road. Ahead, there was a large building.

"That's the school," the driver said looking in the rear view mirror at Alex. Alex stared at it, looming out of the darkness and the mist. A short moment later, they had arrived. Alex stepped out the car, staring at the building. It was fairly old, and had an air of elegance about it.

He followed the driver through the doors. Inside, the room was softly lit with lamps on the walls, which were a dark red in colour, with wooden panels at the bottom. A woman who looked to be in her early sixties was stationed behind a desk. Upon hearing the door, she looked up.

"Hello, how can I help you?" she said smiling at them behind her glasses.

"This is Alex Barclay. He will be joining your fine school," the driver said, putting his hand on Alex's shoulder.

"Ah yes, you phoned earlier. Glad you made it through that awful traffic jam. I do hope you're not too tired," the woman said kindly. "Welcome to Milton's Alex. Let me just check what room you've been allocated to," she said to Alex, her fingers gliding over the keys of the keyboard. "Ok, room 35 in the Poseidon dorm. I'll have someone take you there. Then, tomorrow morning, we'll get someone to show you around the site," she said smiling at Alex whilst fetching a key from behind her.

"I'll be back in a moment," she said, handing the key to Alex and stepping through a door behind her. Just a few seconds later, she returned with a fairly tall woman, with long, brown hair.

"Alex, this is Michelle. She'll take you to your room. Dinner will be at Eight O' Clock tonight."

Alex picked up his case, which the driver had brought in, and followed Michelle through a set of doors, and down a dimly lit corridor.

His Mission had begun.

* * *

Ok guys, first of all, I don't know When Alex's birthday is, I made it up lol. Secondly, as far as I know, there is no school in Wales called Milton's. I made that up too.

**IMPORTANT: I do not know when the next update will be, as I have exams until the middle of June. I will try and write between exams and revision, but may not be able to. I am really sorry about this, but it isn't my fault. Anyways, please review… it'll make me happy :).**


	7. Chapter 7

**sheluby94dreamer, l8rg8r123, itachi159159, ****beachbum454, Cheezels, 2TheMaX, Crystal Roads, Drayconette, nebulalightspeed, kcllxoxo, Knyghtshade, Jake Caldefore, XxXmaximuM-RideRXxX, blackladyg, ffhoupt, Wolfmonster, ****twilightfan456789****, ****yotakehisuo174, Tai Calibre, Macklyn, blue moon, Kitty Kash, ThJaFl, Zoeyua, trinity-jade-potter, Aelyra, LittleGirlCoch, MoonDrake, Em Phantom, ponygirl-loves-mcqueen, Wolf-girl-Artemis, Darra Greymist, Dragoness of the Silver Flames, Emmy-loo, catluver412, alexriderfreak (),ninjawoman, Calla Argenue, kitsuneneko88, lacie-13, x EMIILII x, ****maxi-blue,**** VOLTAIRE, Jade Taylor, Blue Rider, randomness, Agasga, blackkat09, yipa dee day, PunkiePenguin, flyingdutchman08, aiimee, PureAngelEnchantress, Iceprincess89023, sparkleglitz01, hurrybee, snipergirlx27, shadow lupus, DDwelling, Lord Zidane, baldy911, bookworm, katelynsue23, beccaleelee, doctorwhobeth4, tsodium, Eric J. Alderson, azurese4, Alvineju of Baron, claireroxx101, Alexandra Rider, Calla Argenue, 00MeLiSsA00, bookworm rider, cailiean44, reading-rider, Kt of the bugs, QuirkyOne, feathersofbronze, Knyghtshade, hey, Ponyboy65, Ambrele, Cubed, alex-rider-girl, darkmoon999, TheNotedMusician, Edwards Cantante4, LuluRox, animeMUSICaddict, Eric J. Alderson, Aisling-Siobhan, Amika-Kyou, Saela, darkmoon999, pandagirl555, SakuraCa, Angel, NarutoFrk13, xx-Wild Child.571-xx, goldenlilies, verbalalchemist, reading-rider, Maudey, Itssostrangehere, darkmoon666, Alo Amicus, Johnny-on-the-spot, ****95girl, ****HawkEye DownUnder, MadzCheesyfied, talking-and-walking-thesaurous, Abe Rider Short, Sable Katze, jodz92, SnowsongIsAJaypawFan, hrtbreaker. AnimeMUSICaddict, RaevynMoon, Cracker.895, neko262012, wolfhuntsmoon, NienkevH, NCISfaire, Alexandra la la, emmaleas, AngelVi, Marie Elaine Cullen, neko262012, May Eve, agentcherub, Sheyrena Wyrsabane, Serinata, TWILIGHTICE, hpotterfan2047, MichaelaTheUchiha, najar1, Twilightaholic1122, MiniMinx, Queen Black wolf .**

**Ok guys, I am SO sorry for the lack of updates, but I had exams that I had to study for so had no time to write for a few months. Then I had stuff going on at school…and at home, but it's ok now. Then A-Levels started… oh the joy. Then Crocodile Tears came out (I thought it was brill!). Oh, and then, I went to see Elliot Minor in London, and they were fantastic! I got a Hug from Alex D!!!**

**Now, as I type this, I'm off school ill, working on my temperamental laptop that decided to throw a wobbly this morning… anyway, enough excuses, so on with the story.**

**Disclaimer: If I own it, then I love Chihuahua's. Which I don't so, yeah (No offence to people who like Chihuahuas).**

* * *

Five minutes later, Alex and Michelle had arrived at room 79. The room itself was large, with blue wallpaper and a dark blue carpet. In the corner there was a large table, and nearby there were three beds, two of which were occupied.

On the bed furthest from him was a boy with short, blonde hair, who was reading a book on Ancient Egypt. On the bed next to that was a boy with dark brown hair, who was playing on a Nintendo DS. As Alex and Michelle entered the room, they both looked up.

"Lucas, Matthew, this is Alex. He's going to be sharing your room from now on," Michelle said, gesturing at Alex. Both boys glanced at him before turning their attention back to what they had been doing.

"Well, I'll er, leave you boys to get acquainted. Come and see me if there are any problems Alex," Michelle smiled, before she left the room.

Alex picked up his case and carried it to the remaining bed, which had already been made. The boy who had been playing on the DS set it aside and stood up.

"Need help unpackin'?" he said, strolling over.

"No thanks, I can manage," Alex replied, opening the case.

"I'm Matthew by the way, or Matt for short," Matt said, holding out his hand, which Alex shook. "And that's Lucas, or Luke for short," he pointed towards the other boy. At the mention of his name, he looked up and glared at them. Matt rolled his eyes. "Don't mind him. He can be a tad grumpy at times," Matt muttered to Alex.

"I heard that!" Luke snapped.

"See what I mean? Moody git," Matt whispered.

"I heard that too, dickweed!"

"Charming…" Alex muttered quietly. Luckily, either Luke ignored him, or he hadn't heard the remark.

Twenty minutes later there was a knock on the door. When Alex answered it, he was greeted by a girl with brunette hair with blonde highlights. He smiled at her, and noticed that she was holding a small tray.

"Hi. Michelle asked me to bring this to you, since you might be a bit tired to go down to dinner," she said, handing Alex the tray.

"Um, thanks," he said, taking the tray and holding it in one hand.

"Anytime," the girl replied, before turning and walking down the corridor. Alex stood there for a moment, watching her, before he closed the door.

"I wouldn't think about being her future boyfriend anytime soon Alex. She's Damien's Girlfriend," Matt grinned as Alex placed his tray on the nearby table.

"Who's Damien?" he said, taking the tin foil off the tray and looking at the meal. Roast Potatoes and Lamb, with broccoli and gravy, and a carton of orange juice.

"Only the meanest kid here! One time, I got one tiny drop of water on his arm, and he sent me to the nurses office with a broken nose!!!" Matt exclaimed, walking to the table.

"Sounds like a nice guy," Alex said sarcastically.

After eating his small meal, Alex settled down for the night. The bed was comfortable, and Alex felt himself relaxing into it's warmth before drifting off to sleep.

The next morning, Alex woke to the sound of shouting.. Blearily, he opened his eyes, only to see a pillow flying towards him. It hit him square in the face, before flopping onto the bed. Looking up, he saw Matt holding up a pillow with his arm raised.

"Er, sorry Alex. That was aimed at Luke," he said sheepishly.

"What were you two yelling about?" Alex asked, throwing back the covers.

"Luke hit me with a pillow!" Matt protested, reclaiming his pillow from Alex's bed.

"You started it. You woke me up by playing on that stupid DS!" Luke snapped, pulling some clothes out of his drawer.

"Not my fault your snoring keeps me up!" Matt retorted.

Alex decided it was probably best to leave them to it. Taking out some of his own clothes, and putting on his fake glasses, he proceeded to the bathroom to get dressed, smirking as he heard the familiar 'whump' of a pillow meeting its target.

Fifteen minutes, and a heated pillow fight and a lot of yelling later, the boys went down for breakfast. The canteen was enormous. There were dozens of tables, some rectangular and some round. Matt led Alex to the self-serve counter.

After helping themselves, Matt and Alex sat at one of the tables. Luke had gone off with another group of people.

"So Alex, where you from?" Matt asked, taking a bit of his sausage.

"Catford, London," he replied, putting some sugar onto his cornflakes.

"Want me to show you around the school after breakfast?"

"What about lessons?" Alex asked, starting on his cereal.

"Lessons don't start until ten, oh, and we need to collect your timetable from Student Services," Matt replied whilst squirting ketchup onto his plate.

"Okay, sure," Alex muttered, still eating his bowl of cornflakes. Suddenly, he felt someone behind him.

"Well who do we have here?"

* * *

And that's it. Yes, I know it's short, and yes, it probably seems rushed, but I've been busy and had stuff to deal with… I dunno when the next chapter will be up, as I am now doing A-Levels and have less free time (I work during my frees at school). I have the next couple of chapters planned, so, yeah. REVIEW please!


	8. Chapter 8

Ok… first of all, I want to say I'm so, so sorry for the lack of updates. I've been quite ill this year, and have had a LOT of problems at school (almost getting kicked off my biology course, failing my AS Levels really badly, and then having switching schools, which meant leaving my friends and teachers behind and repeating the year).  
But hopefully, I should have a few more chapters done soon. I've already got 2 written, and 2 semi-planned. But to be honest, I'm not sure when I'll be able to update, due to schoolwork. I never intended on putting this story on hold, but life just got really hectic and crap to be honest. I'm still settling into my new school at the moment, so I'm afraid chapters are going to be fairly short at the moment, and updates may be a bit erratic.

This whole fiasco with my exams has battered my confidence a bit, as I really didn't expect to fail like I did. So reviews would be really appreciated at the moment.

Aaanyways, on with the story! (Not sure when the next update will be. Sorry!)

Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue, I don't own the series, and I never will too. (Not bad for a first attempt, anyways, I don't own AR, and never will).

* * *

"Well who do we have here?"

Alex turned round, and was met by a boy with black hair. He had piercing blue eyes, and was well built. There were three other boys behind him.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a new kid. What's your name?" he said, folding his arms.

"Alex. I assume you're Damien?" Alex replied, regarding Damien coolly.

"You got that right. Heard of me have ya?" he sneered, looking at Matt, who glared back.

"Yeah. And from what I've heard, you're not the kind of person I want to associate myself with."

By this point, the canteen had become silent. It wasn't often that someone stood up to Damien, especially on their first day. A few whispers broke out at the back. The air was tense.

Damien stared at Alex, his eyes slowly narrowing. "What did you say?" he growled.

"You heard me."

The whispers grew as the other children watched the scene unfolding in front of them, their breakfast forgotten on the table.

Damien looked around the canteen, at people's faces, which showed looks of awe, but also terror.

"You're not worth my time. Just stay out of my way," he said before stalking off, his cronies following silently. The eyes of the whole canteen were on Alex as he sat in his seat, turning back to his cornflakes, which had gone soggy.

Matt gaped at Alex. "No one's stood up to Damien in years. Well, at least, not without getting battered the second they do," he muttered the last part, stabbing a fork into the remains of his sausage.

* * *

The rest of breakfast passed without incident. Students continued to stare at Alex as he and Matt left quietly.

Matt took him to student services, where he was given his timetable. Looking at it, he could see his days weren't that bad. Mondays were awful with five lessons, including double maths in the afternoon. He noticed that on Wednesdays, he had his 'Therapy' session. Matt noticed this, and raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask.

After quickly showing Alex around the school, they made their way to PE. Upon arriving, Alex was disappointed to see that there was one large changing area rather than separate cubicles. He was careful to face away from everyone else when changing into his PE top. He didn't want anyone to see the old bullet wound. That would just raise questions.

Upon entering the sports hall, Alex gasped. It was huge, with a large mirror at the back. There were metal climbing bars on one side, and a rock-wall on the other. The teacher entered the room.

"Right then. Today, we'll be doing hockey today. Grab a stick out the cupboard and get yourselves onto the field!" he yelled, grabbing a basket of heavy looking hockey balls.

They made their way out onto the field. The lesson was mostly uneventful as they practised dribbling the ball, defending goals, and how to take the ball off the opponent.

Towards the end of the lesson, they split into teams for a small match. Alex's team were the first to score. Towards the end of the game, the score was even. The next goal would decide the winner.

The ball was passed to Alex. He dodged his opponents with ease. The goal was getting closer with each second. There were only three more people to get past. He avoided the first two, but the third was ready, his stick met Alex's as they fought for the ball. Both teams were cheering as the sticks collided. Alex's opponent glared, struggling to get the ball off him.

Alex was gaining the upper hand, when Alex's opponent finally had enough. He quickly raised his stick, before ramming it into Alex' left shoulder.

Right where the bullet had struck him.

He yelled in pain, letting go of his stick and doubling over as a sickening shooting pain seared through his shoulder. He fell to the floor, clutching his shoulder. Through the haze of pain, he heard angry shouts, and the sound of a whistle, and the teacher yelling. Footsteps got closer, and he heard someone yelling his name. Opening his eyes, he saw the teachers face swimming into view.

"You ok Alex?" he said, kneeling by his side.

"I'm fine," he lied, slowly sitting up and wincing. Matt, who was surprisingly pale, helped him up. "Just my bad shoulder, that's all. Ligament damage."

"Alright. Inside, all of you. Lesson's over," barked the PE teacher.

No one asked any questions.

* * *

Next time: _Alex felt a fist slam into his jaw, before he felt himself falling. He desperately tried to grab hold of something, but it was no use._

Oh dear, what's Alex done now? :D

Reviews?


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